Toning shoes are proving to be extremely popular with consumers – they are now one of the fastest growing sectors in the fitness footwear market. They promise to help you reduce cellulite, get in shape, lose weight and even to provide relief from certain forms of foot pain. Most of the large footwear manufacturers now have toning shoes as part of their range. Skechers Shape Ups, Fitflops sandals and – the newest addition – Reebok Easy Tones, are among the best known brands.
The idea behind toning shoes is the use of a specially engineered sole which promotes a particular posture, gait or walking motion, so as to encourage the use of muscles which don’t usually do very much work. This, in theory at least, results in additional calories being burned whilst walking and also gives improved muscle tone.
It’s the sole that gives toning shoes their beneficial properties – but there are different designs of soles, all of which target the same effect. The thick, curved rocker type sole – as used by Masai Barefoot Technology (MBT) shoes and Skechers is intended to improve posture and to replicate the mechanics of walking in soft sand. Fitflops and Reebok both use a sole which is intended to produce small micro-imbalances whilst walking. The theory is that the lower body muscles will try to re-establish the body’s balance – and do some extra work in the process.
Most of the manufacturers have commissioned studies to evaluate the efficacy of their toning shoes. A 10% increase in the number of calories burned and as much as a 30% boost in lower body muscle activity is claimed by most of the manufacturers. A lot the ad campaigns for these shoes make much of the “effortless” nature of possible improvements. With slogans like “the sandal with the gym built in” (Fitflops) , “a better butt and legs with every step” (Reebok) and “get in shape without setting foot in the gym” (Skechers), there is a strong focus on getting in shape without breaking sweat.
Needless to say, some query the validity of the research results. The very fact that the research was funded by the footwear manufacturers is enough to make some question the validity of the results. The American Council on Exercise commissioned their own study at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. They performed a study involving 12 physically active young women – aged between nineteen and twenty four years old, who were subjected to a dozen five minute treadmill sessions whilst wearing toning shoes or conventional exercise shoes. The study results showed that toning shoes did not increase the rate at which calories were burned and that there was no significant increase in muscle usage.
However, the shoe manufacturers fought back and pointed out that the ACE study could not be considered to be representative due to the fact that the experience of a dozen, physically active and relatively young, women would not be indicative of the benefits which toning shoes could provide for people who are less physically active (which would be most of us I guess). It’s a fair point to make. The target audience for toning shoes is soccer moms – not those who have the time and the energy for regular exercise.
Most studies performed to date seem to suggest that toning shoes can deliver some benefits to many wearers. Feedback from customers is, by and large, extremely positive. Many wearers report feelings of soreness in their legs and butt, which they assume to be indicative of toning activity. Some users report that they have improved posture and, where relevant, less joint pain.
Considering the evidence, the positive customer feedback and the rapid growth in this market sector, toning shoes look likely to become a permanent feature on the market. That’s not a bad thing. If they do nothing other than to encourage wearers to walk a little more often on a daily basis, then that’s a step in the right direction.
When the wet weather arrives, stay cool and trendy in a colorful pair of Hunter boots – the wellies that are worn by royalty! The latest range of FitFlops winter boots will help to tone and trim your lower body, keep you warm – all whilst still being super fashionable.